Wycherley assured of a baptism of fire in France

WHEN he was looking to blood youth this season, Johann van Graan could never have imagined he’d be handing Josh Wycherley his first European start opposite the fearsome Rabah Slimani at the Stade Marcel Michelin.

Clermont Auvergne away is not a place you want to go without your top three loosehead props, but a training-ground injury to in-form No 1 James Cronin means the 21-year-old gets a real baptism of fire.

After beating Harlequins without scoring four tries, Munster could do with at least a point from this trip to France and they’ll need their scrum to hold up.

Certainly, Wycherley – whose older brother Fineen is on the bench – has plenty of pedigree and impressed as a repacement against the Londoners.

Andrew Conway misses out for personal reasons, but Shane Daly should slot in comfortably while van Graan opts for a 6/2 split on the bench in the absence of Ben Healy.

Clermont’s scrum power may be weakened by the presence of Fijian flanker Perceli Yato in the second-row due to a long list of lock injuries.

But they have game-breaking talent across their team and even in difficult conditions appear to be too strong.

FOR all of the plaudits that Connacht have received on the back of last weekend’s impressive performance in Paris, it will count for little unless they back it up at home tomorrow evening.

Bristol will arrive at t he Sportsground in similar makeor-break territory as, like Connacht, they lost their opening Champions Cup game.

Connacht have done their best to defuse the emotion around Pat Lam, John Muldoon, Conor Mcphillips and Niyi Adeolokun returning to Galway and although the Westerners would much rather have had a full house behind them, it may play into their attempts to ignore the sentiment surrounding the occasion.

A big focus for Connacht this season has been placed on their ability to win more collisions, and having Bundee Aki back in the team certainly enhances their chances of doing so against Bristol.

Connacht must not get lured into playing a wild game, as Andy Friend looks to stick to his own plan, and build on that ultra-aggressive approach his side brought in Paris. If they manage that, Connacht can make it an unhappy return for Lam and Co.